Continuous icemaking apparatus



Patented July 14, 1953 2,645,098 CONTINUOUS ICEMAKING APPARATUS Alfred G. Janos, Erie, Pa., assigner to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application November 16, 1950, Serial N o. 196,008

10 Claims. 1

My invention relates to ice-making apparatus and more particularly to ice-making apparatus adapted for the continuous production of ice.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved apparatus for continuous production of ice.`

It is another object of my invention to provide Y an improved apparatus for continuously producing and ejecting ice.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this specication.

In carrying out the objects of my invention, ice is continuously produced in the form of a cylindrical column within a refrigerated cylindrical chamber, the column of ice being progressively moved outwardly of the open end of the chamber and being broken 01T in any suitable manner into pieces of the desired size. It has previously been known to manufacture ice in the form of a continuous column but these previously-disclosed devices have used a reciprocatiing piston, or a continuously advancing piston which must ultimately be retracted, or have relied upon the pressure of the water supplied to effect movement and ejection of the ice column. In carrying out the objects of my invention I provide a continuously rotating cam having an irregular upper surface disposed at the bottom of the ice-producing chamber. As the cam is rotated it moves the column of ice upwardly, and water, which is continuously supplied to the space between the major portion of the cam and the ice column, continuously freezes to the portion lof the ice column not at the time being engaged by the irregular cam surface. Thus, a layer of ice is continuously being added to the lower end of the column and, as the cam rotates, the ice-engaging raised portion of the cam progressively engages the newly-frozen portions on the lower end of the ice column effecting a lifting of the ice column. Thus, by my arrangement the cam may be rotated continuously, a layer of ice only a few thousandths of an inch, thick being frozen onto the lower end of the ice column during the time required for the cam to make one revolution, and

the overall ice column being advanced upwardly f by the cam by the amount of the thickness of this layer of ice during each revolution of the cam.

For a better understanding of my invention,

reference may be had to the accompanying draw- I ing in which Fig. 1 shows apparatus incorporating an embodiment of my invention;IFig.'-2 fis' a View, `partly in section, showing details of the construction of the ice-producing apparatus; Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the ice-produc'- ing chamber taken along'the line 3``3 fin' Figi 2; Fig. 4 is an enlargedvview of the ice-producing chamber to illustrate the freezing of the i`ce=and the lifting of the ice column by the rotating cam'; and Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the upper surface of the cam. f f i Referring to the drawing, there is shown apparatus including a supporting base I. On this base is mounted a conventional refrigerating--unit comprising a motor-compressor unit enclosed within a hermetically sealed'case 2.` Compressed refrigerant is supplied from the refrigerating unit through a conduit 3 to a condenser 4. Liquid refrigerant iiows from the condenser '4 through a restricting, or capillary, tube 5 to the vice-making structure 6, which is supported by legs 6a on the base rI. Vaporized refrigerant is returned to the refrigerating unit through a suction line'l.

The ice-making structure 6 includes a housing 8 of some suitable plastic or other material of low heat conductivity. A tubular element 9 formed of a metal of -high heat conductivity forms the major portion of the ice-making chamber I 0. The tubular element 9 isv supported on a shoulder I I of an upwardly extending ring- I2 which is formed integral with the housing-'8. The ring I2 and a portion of the bottom of the housing 8 formr the bottom portion I3 of the Vchamber I0. 'I he chamber I0 is open` at its top end for permitting ejection of the column-of ice as it forms within the chamber. The outer wall I4 of the housing 8 is spaced from the metal tubular element 9, and thespacetherebetween is iilled with a suitable heat-insulating material. The top of the ice-making structure 6, except for the open Vend of the chamber I0, is closed-by an annular-member I 5 of plastic or other suitable material of low heat conductivity. Refrigerant# Vconducting tubing I6 s coiled about and secured to the wall of the tubular element El for refrigerating this wall and, hence, for cooling the chamber Ii) to freeze ice therein. Since the ring'IZ which forms the bottom portion of thechamber and upon which the metal tubular element r9 rests is made of a material of low heat conduce tivity, the lower walll of the chamber is thermally isolated from the refrigerated element 9.

Water is supplied to the bottom I3 fof the chamber IU through a conduit II from a suitable source of supply. Water may be stored within the inverted bottle I8 and supplied to the conduit I1 through a, tray I9 mounted on the base I by legs Isa. The mouth of the bottle is submerged in the water in the tray I9 and the bottle rests on a gasket |9b having a conventional passage for entry of air. During operation of the apparatus a column of ice 20 is formed within the chamber I0. In order to move this column of ice upwardly so that its upper end'projects an increasing distance above the top of the chamber I0, a rotatable cam or disc 2| is positioned in the bottom portion of the chamber I0. The cam 2| is the same diameter as the internal diameter of the chamber III and includes a raised portion 22 on its upper surface extending, as shown inFig, diametrically across this upper surface. VThe `cam 2| is mounted on a vertical shaft 23vand rotates about the vertical axis of the shaft. A bushing or gland 24 is provided for sealing passes through the housing 8 and for acting as a .bearingsurface. lThe cam 2| is driven-by a motor f25ithrough a. gear reductionunit 2B, a pulley 21, 1.a belt 28, and al pulley 29. The gear reduction -unit is-employed forreducing the speed ofthe conventional motor 25 to a lower speed suitable for the operation'ofithecam-ZI. The belt and l pulley Aarrangement `also reduces the speed to :somefextentbut sintroducedA primarily to pro- 'videforsllppage should the cam 2 I jam in the ice column 20 soithat excessive strain is not imparted to the gears in the gear reduction-unit 26. To prevent. rotation of the. icecolumn 2G -withthe `-camso that rotation. of the cam can be employed Ito force the,icecolumnupwardly, the inner wall :of thefmetaltubularelement9v is formed toA pro- ;vide :a plurality .of Ylongitudinally -extending grooves :2\9a. Whilethestructure has been illus- Vtrated withgrooves. formedin the inner wall of thefmetal tubular element '9, it will Abe obvious that the same effect could'be accomplished by forming'th-is wall so as to provide inwardly extending longitudinal ridges in lieuof the grooves 19a. 'Toconduct water from the bottom I3 of the -chamber to .the area immediately above the major portion of the upper surface of the cam 2 I, thegcam is formed with a plurality of passages 30 extending therethrough.

The operation ofthe apparatus is illustrated more clearly Ain Ythe enlarged view shown in Fig. 4. Referring to'this figure, it can beseen thatvwater fromthe conduit l1 is supplied to the bottom portion I3.of the chamber andpasses through theppassages 30 in the cam2I to the region 3| directly above the major portion Vof the uppersurfaceof vthe cam 2|. Acontinuous column. ofice 20, has been formed within the chamber I because of the refrigeratedwall gthereof. This ice column extends down to and rests upon the raised portion Y22 of the cam 2|. A body of unfrozen water 20a remains in the body central portion of the ice-column 20 because of the insulating effect of the surrounding ice. This raised'portion 22 spaces the ice column 2i) above thexmajor portion of the upper'surface of' thecam 2 lesoA as to provide the region 3| to which water issupplied and in which it is maintained. The cam.2l rotates relatively slowly, about 20 to 30 revolutions'per minute, thus completely sweeping .over the bottom surface of the ice columnZll once every 2 to 3 seconds. It engages the ice column onlyA alongthe relatively small area of the raised portion 22, and the remainder of the bottom surface of the ice column is in contact with the -water within the region 3|. The water in the Vregion '3| -freezes onto vthe bottom of the ice the shaft .where it f column 2i! in a thin layer, which is only a few thousandths of an inch thick. This thin layer, of course, continuously builds up along the bottom of the ice column below a horizontal line extending tangent to the top of the raised portion 22 and on the surface of the ice column located at the time between the diametrically opposite sections of the raised portion 22. Thus, by way of illustration, the bottom surface of the ice column may bein the shape shown on an exaggerated scale in Fig. 4. Hence, as the cam rotates, the raised portion 22 continuously encounters a vportion ofthe ice column which extends slightly below the horizontal line extending tangent to the top of the raised portion 22, and the cam therefore raises the ice column by the amount of .this layer. .The amount of the ice column projecting beyond the top of the chamber I0 will therefore be increased during each revolution of the cam. The ice projecting above the top of thechamberl maybe broken off in any desired manner, for example, by a heated wiremoved acrossthe ice column, by a plurality of prongs forced into the column, or by any other arrangements well known in the'art.

It can be seen that by the arrangement described ice may be continuously formed in a cylindrical-shape by employing a cam continuously rotating in one plane. The drive is `simplified by beingentirelyrotary and not requiring a reciproeating-piston nor doesit require av continuously advancing piston which must ultimately be retracted for starting a new cycle.

While Ihave shown and described a specific embodimentofmy invention, Ido not desire my invention to be limited to the particular construction shown and described Vand I intend, by the appended claims, to cover all modifications ywithin the spirit and-scope of my invention.

What I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters-Patent of theUnited States is:

l. Apparatus for continuously producing ice comprising means defining an upwardly extending chamber having an open'top, means for continuously supplying water to said chamber at the ,bottom kportion thereof, means for refrigerating saidchamber to freeze said water into a column of ice, a rotatable cam disposed near bottom of said chamber and directly and continuously engaging the bottom of Asaid ice column, and means for continuously rotating said cam in the same direction tolift said ice column, said water-supplying means causing water to flow into said chamber below said ice column as said ice column is continuously raised by said cam.

2. Apparatus for continuously producing ice comprising means'dening an upwardly extending chamber having an open top, a rotatable disk disposed near the vbottom of said chamber; means for continuously supplying water to said chamber above the lowermost portion'of the upper surface of said'disk,'means for refrigerating said chamber to freeze said water into a column of ice, said disk being rotatable about an upwardly extending axis andhavingaV raised portion on its upper surface for lifting said ice column, said raised portion directly engaging the bottom of said ice column, and means for continuously rotating said disk to lift said ice column, said water-supplying means causing water to'ow into said chamber above said lowermost portion of said upper surface of said disk and below said ice column as said ice column is continuously lifted by said disk. 3. Apparatus `for continuously producing ice comprisingmeans defining an upwardly extending chamber having an open top, a rotatable disk disposed near the bottom of said chamber, means for continuously supplying water to said chamber above the lowermost portion of the upper surface of said disk, means for refrigerating said chamber to freeze said water into a column of ice, said disk being rotatable about an upwardly extending axis and having an irregular` upper surface for lifting said ice column, said irregular upper surface directly engaging the bottom of said ice column, and means for continuously rotating said disk to lift said ice column, said water-supplying means causing water to flow into said chamber above said lowermost portion of said upper surface of said disk and below said ice column as said ice column is continuously raised by said disk.

4. Apparatus for continuously producing ice comprising means dening an upwardly extending chamber having an open top, means for continuously supplying wate..l to said chamber at the bottom portion thereof, means for refrigerating said chamber to freeze said water into a column of ice, a rotatable cam disposed near the bottom of said chamber and directly and continuously engaging the bottom of said ice column, means for continuously rotating said cam in the same direction to lift said ice column, said water-supplying means causing water to flow into said chamber below said ice column as said ice column is continuously raised by said cam, and means for preventing rotation of said ice column.

5. Apparatus for continuously producing ice comprising means including a wall defining an upwardly extending chamber having an open top, a rotatable cam disposed near the bottom of said chamber, means for continuously supplying water to said chamber at the bottom portion thereof, means for refrigerating said chamber to freeze said water into a column of ice, and means for continuously rotating said cam to lift said ice column, said wall of said chamber having a longitudinal groove therein for preventing rotation of said ice column, said water-supplying means causing water to ilow into said chamber below said ice column as said ice column is continuously raised by said cam,

6. Apparatus for continuously producing ice comprising means including a wall defining an upwardly extending chamber having an open top, a rotatable cam disposed near the bottom of said chamber, means for continuously supplying water to said chamber at the bottom portion thereof, means for refrigerating said chamber to freeze said water into a column of ice, and means for cintinuously rotating said cam to lift said ice column, said chamber having a longitudinally extending portion laterally displaced from the remainder of said wall for preventing rotation of said ice column, said water-supplying means causing water to now into said chamber below said ice column as said ice column is continuously raised by said cam.

7. Apparatus for continuously producing ice comprising means defining an upwardly extending chamber having an open top, a rotatable cam disposed near the bottom of said chamber, means for continuously supplying water to the bottom of said chamber below said cam, said cam having a passage therethrough for conducting water from the bottom of said chamber to the region above a portion of said cam, means for refrigeratingA for refrigerating said chamber to freeze said water into a column of ice, said cam directly and continuously engaging the bottom of said icc column, and means for continuously rotating said cam in the same direction about an axis aligned with the axis of said ice column to lift said ice column, Water supplied to said region being frozen as successive layers on the bottom end of said ice column,

9. Apparatus for continuously producing ice comprising means defining an upwardly extending chamber having an open top, a rotatable cam disposed near the bottom of said chamber, means for continuously supplying water to the bottom of said chamber below said cam, said cam having a passage therethrough for conducting water from the bottom of said chamber to the region above a portion of said cam, means for refrigerating said chamber to freeze said water into a column of ice, means for preventing rotation of said ice column, and means for continuously rotating said cam in the same direction to lift said ice column, water supplied through said passage in said cam to said region being frozen as successive layers on the bottom end of said ice column.

10. Apparatus for continuously producing ice comprising means including a wall defining an upwardly extending chamber having an open top, a rotatable cam disposed near the bottom of said chamber, means for continuously supplying water to the bottom of said chamber below said cam, said cam having a passage therethrough for conducting water from the bottom of said chamber to the region above a portion of said cam, means for refrigerating said chamber to freeze said water into a column of ice, said wall of said chamber being formed to provide a longitudinal groove for preventing rotation of said ice column, means for continuously rotating said cam to lift said ice column, water supplied through said passage in said cam to said region being frozen as successive layers on the bottom end of said column.

ALFRED G. JANOS.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,071,465 Huber Feb. 23, 1937 2,145,773 Muilly Jan, 31, 1939 2,422,772 Bohn June 24, 1947 2,542,891 Bayston ,Feb. 20, 1951 2,571,506 Watt Oct. 16, 1951 2,597,515 Nitsch May 20, 1952 

